Homer. THE ILIAD. [and] THE ODYSSEY. The Nonesuch Press, London, 1931.

Price: US$5116.84 + shipping

Description: [In the English verse translation by Alexander Pope]. Two volumes, parallel Greek & English text. Pp. [ii]+928(last blank)+[2](colophon, verso blank)+[ii]+760(last blank)+[2](colophon), titles and headings printed in red, each volume with a title page decoration designed by Berthold Wolpe and numerous pictorial headpieces designed and engraved by Rudolf Koch; roy. 8vo; full tan niger morocco, spines lettered in gilt between raised bands, boards with double gilt rule borders, both volumes damp stained and slightly scuffed; t.e.g., others uncut and partly unopened; marbled endpapers; tiny hole in bottom margin pp. 83/4 and a couple of small pencilled annotations to margins in The Iliad, small and faint damp stains to bottom fore-corner of a few leaves same volume, a little light foxing and occasional slight soiling; The Nonesuch Press, London, 1931. Editions limited to 1,450 and 1,300 numbered copies respectively. McKitterick 72 (Iliad) & 78 (Odyssey). *Lacking the slipcases. With the book label of David Levine, Sydney, on upper free endpaper versos. Originally from the library of British politician and diplomat Duff Cooper, whose bookplate, designed by Rex Whistler, is on the upper pastedowns (slightly damp stained in The Odyssey). Presented after his death by his widow, Lady Diana Cooper, to her close friend the writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, inscribed 'Paddy from Duff's library with love from Diana - 1956' in The Iliad, with a similar inscription in The Odyssey. In each volume Patrick Leigh Fermor has pasted a manuscript note, dated 1999, below the gift inscription: 'To be gratefully handed on, and back to John Julius in the fullness of time with love from Paddy and Joan'. Paper-clipped to the upper free endpaper of each volume is Patrick Leigh Fermor's card, annotated by hand: 'Left to be collected by the Viscount Norwich.' The card in The Odyssey is further annotated 'I'm not yet as feeble as this inscription looks!'. John Julius Norwich was the son of Lady Diana Manners and Duff Cooper [later Viscount Norwich]. Loosely inserted in The Iliad is the publisher's printed slip of February 1931, explaining the best way to open the books and cut the pages. The Greek text is in the standard Oxford Classical Texts versions by David B. Munro (Iliad, in 1902) and Thomas W. Allen (Odyssey, in 1908). Pope's celebrated English translation of Homer first appeared in 1715.

Seller: Kay Craddock - Antiquarian Bookseller, Melbourne, VIC, Australia